Rotary valve mechanism



April "9, 1935. c. c. KEMP 1,997,491:

ROTARY VALVE MECHANISM Filed Feb. 8, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 J 52 79*; J? if x 1 W-/. 5 g f I 2 April 9, 1935. c. c. KEMP I ROTARY VALVE MECHANISM Filed Feb. 8, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 9, 1935. c. c. KEMP ROTARY VALVE MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 8, 1955 IIIIIIII l I z April 9, 1935. c. c. KEMP 1,997,491

ROTARY VALVE MECHANISM Filed Feb. 8, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Pastel Apr. 9,1935 4 1,997,491

UNITED" PATENT liFiCE i 1997491 ,f ROTARY vALvE MECHANIS Charles C. Kemp, Augusta, Ga. Application February s, 1933, serial No. 655,854 ['11, Claim. (01. 123- 190) l V This invention relates to an'improved rotary front to rear of head in parallel relation, valve mechanism: for internalcombustion enthese chambers being spaced 'equi-distantly lat .ginesand seeks, among other objects, to provide opposite 'sidesof' the vertical axes of thecylinj a mechanism wherein compensatiomwill auto derss Surrounding the chambers 15 is a water 5 matically be made bothfor'expansion and conjacket lfixconnected between the chambers by A5 traction of the valves as well as wear .on the suitable webs arranged at spaced points along valves so that the valves will always function the chambersandfmerging; as particularlyseen effectively, while, at the samextime, the multiin Figure 2, into a fiatbottom plate l-l mating plicity of parts found in conventional valve syswith the engine-block. At the sides of the head terns will baa-eliminated; a are lateral longitudinalflanges l8 overlying the 10 The invention seeks, as ;a-"further object, to flanges- 12 and extending through said flanges are I provide a mechanismjwherein the torqueron the spaced; 'c'apcbol'ts ie securing the head tothe valves will beapplied both at the front and' rear block, anlapproved gasket being interposed bethereof so that any'tendency 'towards twisting tween? thevv head and blOCkJL Appropriate ports 15 of the valves will :be overcome. are provided to establishcommunicationbetween 15,

And theinvention seeks, as a still further obthe waterjacketof the head and the water jackject, to provide amechanism wherein the valves et of, the blocksand; a'E DOi alinillg With the maybe displacedwithoutremoving the engine webs l3, the-head is provided with'sleeves head, if so desired; 1 jthroughwhichextendcapbolts Zlscrewed into 20 ,Other and incidental objects of the1invention, said webs for connecting the head with theblook 20 not, specifically mentioned in the foregoing,will a p s between the i e cylind ers. At each beapparent during the course of the following of the cylinde s head as i y' description. r y, I i ,1 1 a in Figure 1, formed to provide an upwardly ta- In .theraccompanying drawings, Figure 1 is-a pered firingchamber 22- theconvex side walls fragmentary-transverse seetional View through Of'Whi a formed y -va v Chambers 5 25 an engine embodying myinvention, this view an axi lly f the firing c a rs W ll-a being taken'at one of the cylindersof the en,- axially of 'the cylinders, the headis provided 3 i p 1 i with cups 23in which are disposedspark plugs Figure 2 is a fragmentary transverse sectional 4 commun cat W Y p ve fi i g 3Q viewtakenthrough the engine betweentwo of chambers. Leading from'the jacket 6 at its the cylinders thereof, M forward end, as particularly seen in Figure 5, 'is

Figure 3 is a fragmentary front elevation partan outlet 25 to which maybe attached a hose ly in section and showingthe drive gears for the C unicating with a suitable radiator. I valves; 1 i v g Formed in theconfronting walls ofthe, cham- Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional View on the bers l5 at each of the firing chambers 2'2is an 3 line 4-4 of Figure 3, intakeport 26 an'dan' exhaust port 2'!- and rotat-.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary; vertical longitudinal ably'fitting in Said m c r ntake and exsectional view on the line 5- 5 of Figure l, haustvalves which areidentical in construction Figure 6 is a detail section showing one of the and each of which comprisesan outer sleeve 2}} 40 drivegears for the valves, and a a i i i and an inner slee ve- 29. Each of these sleeves O Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective view is initially formed as a cylinder, the outersleeve showing an end of one of the valves and one of being ground to a smooth surface on both sides the driving spiders therefor. i 1 v and the inner sleeve being groundito a smooth Referring now more particularly to the drawsurface on its outer side. Thesleeves are then 5 ings, I have shown an engine block at M which is formed'attheproper locations with slots which provided at the upper ends of the cylinders H i register to provide a'port 3% for each of the firing thereof withlateral longitudinal flanges I2, it chambers 22, and, subsequently the sleeves are being understood that the engine may embody cut from end to end to provide stepped joints 3|. any approved number of cylinders. The cylin- The sleeves ofthe valves are resilient and the ,50 'ders are suitably water jacketed and between the outer sleeves are initially of such diameter that 5 cylinders are webs l3. Reciprocal in the cylinsaid sleeves must be compressed to fit within the ders are pistons I4. valve chambers 55. Likewise, the inner sleeves Mating with the block I0 is an engine. head must be compressedto fit within the outer sleeves.

comprising identical cylindrical valve chambers Accordingly, theouter sleeves will expand against 5 l5 which are open at their ends and extend from the valve chambers to at all times have closecon s5 tact therewith while, at the same time, said sleeves will be adapted to conform to unforeseen irregularities in said chambers. Similarly, the

inner sleeves will expand within the outer sleeves cumferential expansion and contraction of the Furthermore, it will be noted that the' sleeves. joints of the inner sleeves are disposed opposite the joints of the outer sleeves so that when the joints of the outer sleeves cross'the intake and exhaust ports 26 and 21, leakage of gases between the inner and outer sleeves will be prevented.

Removably bolted to the front end of the engine head is a frcnt plate 32 and removably bolted to the rear end of the head is a manifold 33 having a laterally directed fuel intake 34 and an op positely directed lateral exhaust 35.

Confined by the plate 32 and manifold 33 are drivingspiders 36 at the forward ends of the valves and driving spiders 31 at the rear ends of the valves. The spiders 36 are solid and are provided at their inner sides witha plurality of cir- Formed in the forward edges of the Valve sleeves are registering notches 39 which freely receive said lugs, clearance being provided to accommodate 'circumferential expansion as well as lineal expansion of the valve sleeves, although the play is not sufiicient to permit the ports in the sleeves to get out of substantial alinement. The spiders 31 are of skeleton construction, as shown, and projecting from the, inner sidesof these spiders are circumferentially spaced lugs 46; Formed in the rear edges of the valve sleeves are registering notches 4! which freely receive said lugs, clearance being provided as in the instance of thelnotches 39, to accommodate circumferential expansion as 7 well as lineal expansion of the valve sleeves.

The spiders36 and 3'lrrotat'ably fit in the ends ofthe valve chambers 15, the spiders 36 forming closures at the forward ends of the valves and the spiders 31, being of skeleton construction,-providing'for the flow of gases therethrough into the intake valve and out of the exhaust valve. Journaled through the front plate 32 and .extending axially through the spiders 36 and 37 are drive shafts 42 to which the spiders, are keyed. Any

approved mechanism may be employed for driving these shafts and accordingly rotating the valves at half crank shaft speed. In the present instance, I have shown the use of pinions 43'fixed to the forward ends of'the shafts, and projecting from the front plate 32, as shown in detail in Fig ure 6, is a stub shaft 44 on which is journaled a pinion 45 meshing with the former pinions. In-

1 tegral with the pinion'di or otherwise connected thereto is a beveled gear 46 and meshing with the beveled gear is a beveled gear at the upper end of a drive shaft 48 which, in turn, is suitablyconnested wtih the crank shaft of the engine. Enclosing the several gears is a housing 49 secured to the front plate 32 by the same bolts which attach said plate. to the engine head.

Formed in the inner surfaces of the walls of the valve chambers I5 are spiral oil grooves 59 and formed on the head at the upper side of the jacket It, as particularly seen in Figure 1, are oil cups 5| arranged at spaced points along the jacket to communicate with said grooves. Screwed into these cups are fittings 52 and connecting the fittings are oil distributing pipes53 leading from a suitable oil pump. Thus, the outer sleeves of the valves will be constantly lubricated to prevent 1 sticking aswell asminimize wear.

Attention is now directed to the fact that by displacing the bolts E9, the engine head with the assembled valves thereon may, if so desired, be

bodily removed as a unit, On the other hand,

the entire valve assembly consisting of driving gears 43, plate 32; spiders 38, spiders 31, shafts 42 and valvesleeves 28 and 29 may be withdrawn without removing the head from the block, thus making the entire valve assembly readily accessible andremovable. Furthermore, it is to be noted that the fuel gases entering at the intake 3t may. follow a straight course through the intake valve 'to the several ports thereof and similarly, the exhaust" gases entering the exhaust valve may flow freely therethrough to the exjacketed except at the firing chambers 22 so that substantially uniform expansion and contraction of the valve chambers will be hadand overheating prevented while, also; the fuel gases entering the intake valve will be subjected to a practically constant warming temperature therein' Having thus described the invention, ,1 claim: In an internal combustion engine, a cylindrical valve chamber having a port in one side, a cylindrical valve fitting snugly but rotatably mounted in the valve chamber and having its ends spaced from ends of the chamber, said valve consisting of closely fitting concentric sleeves provided with registering'ports disposed formoving into and out of registry with the port of the chamber dining-rotation of the valve, each sleeve having a joint extending-from end to end thereof anddisposed out of alinement with the ports, the

.walls of each joint overlapping and the joint of one sleeve being spaced circumferentially from the joint of the other sleeve; the ends ofthe sleeves having radial notches formed therein,

spiders fitted in the valve chamber between ends sleeves and maintain the ports of the sleeves'in alinement, one spider being formed with openingspermitting flow of fuel through the cylindrical valve and the other spider being solidandforming a head for the adjacent end of the valve, a

shaft extending axially through the inner sleeve and securedrto' the spiders whereby theispiders' and sleeves turn with the shaft, and means for rotating the shaft. v

'- CHARLES C. KEMP. 

